The 6-foot-4 Ross is ranked No. 27 nationally and is the highest-ranked four-star recruit in the composite rankings.

Ross has offers from all over the country. Many think it will come down to Alabama and Auburn, but he raved about his visit to Clemson this spring and also wants to visit Ohio State and Florida, among others.

But now his mother, Charay Franklin, is back in Phenix City after a tour of duty with the U.S. National Guard. With Franklin returning to the states, her comfort level with the schools will help him narrow down his list possibly to a top five before the season.

She's been able to join Ross on trips over the past few days to Tuscaloosa and Auburn.

"When she first got back, she said her phone started blowing up from all the coaches when they knew she was back," Ross said Saturday after Auburn's Big Cat Weekend festivities.